The Revolution Will Not Be Televised Bill Oursler at 5 & 11 The focus of attention as of late has been on NASCAR. In fact, it seems that NASCAR and Formula One have sucked every available inch of space from the motorsport universe. To paraphrase a popular song of the 1960's, "Where has the rest of racing gone?" Some will say that is a silly question, noting there is a great variety motorsport on television for the watching, and an even larger amount in print and on the internet - as is witnessed by this website. And they are right. First we take Manhattan… Yet somehow, in the broad brush of life if you live in the United States you are bombarded by the world of NASCAR. If you live in Europe and elsewhere it’s F-1. To put it another way, the rest of racing seems to have been subordinated to these two very different venues. Indeed, the stature of the NASCAR and the Grand Prix scenes is such that many might say they are the twin foundations of the industry. Again, supporters of other forms of the sport like drag and motorcycle racing may disagree. However, the fact is that the media expends far more time and energy on the giants that are NASCAR and Formula One than anything else. The question is how did we arrive at this point. In truth, it is because of a confluence of circumstances, the most important of which is the brilliance of Bernie Ecclestone and the France family, each of whom have molded their respective plantations into all conquering empires. The shrewd minds of Ecclestone and the Frances accomplished this through focus and control, creating a game plan that could work, and then making sure it did. Unfortunately, foundations can fracture and crumble, and in Formula One at least there are some cracks. A fire in the sky…. Some of these come from the legal front where Ecclestone may find himself out of, or at least forced to share power in the entity that is SLEC. They have the world wide television rights to F-1 along with the banks who own the majority of its stock. The roots of the others are to be found in the unhappiness of the manufacturers, whose support of the Grand Prix sandbox is crucial to its well being, and in the European Union’s determination to rid all forms of sport including F-1 of tobacco advertising. In comparison, NASCAR is basking under sunny skies. Still, there is an ever increasing number of empty seats to be seen in its world, while many of the smaller teams are counting their pennies more closely as they struggle to find the sponsorship to keep going. In addition, NASCAR’s more than two billion dollar television contract is coming up for renewal. There are questions as to whether or not the networks will re-sign at the same level, much less accept an increase in light of the difficulty they have had in attracting enough advertising revenue to provide them the kind of profits they feel they so richly deserve. Of course, like the rest of us, it is hard to admit there is anything wrong, at least in public. To listen to Ecclestone, one would think that the issues confronting him are mere irritants to be brushed aside and ignored. Unhappily though, they aren’t going to evaporate and simply disappear. As Formula One is moved ever further away from its European roots, it increasingly faces the prospect of losing its legitimacy. If that happens what will replace it? Likewise, even though one suspects that the Frances will keep things straight and level, what happens if those small surface cracks turn into more serious fissures that can’t be readily fixed? Charter an accountant… Lest one think this is "doom and gloom," it isn’t. Rather it is a wake up call; a summons to consider the "what if’s" of the future. In a way we have fallen into the trap of "Let George do it." Politics and agendas have taken their toll on the fortunes of other areas of the industry; ill advised dalliances from which those, more focused and determined, such as Ecclestone and the Frances, have profited. Nothing is permanent in this world, this forcing us to be prepared for the inevitable change to come. Right now motorsport is, like those on the Titanic, not prepared. Take for example open wheel racing here in the United States. Interest in recent years has declined, and continues to do so. Ratings for the Indianapolis 500 are now below those for NASCAR’s Brickyard 400. Yet, despite the obvious need for the IRL and Champ Car to work together, if not merge into a single unified body, the reality is that each persists in going their own way at the expense of the sport. It reminds one of the First World War where both sides scarified nearly a generation of their youth in a struggle over a few miles of disputed, stalemated territory in the fields of Flanders. Can Alfieri come out and play ? Equally unfathomable is the argument raging between Le Mans, the FIA and the ALMS over the Maserati MC12, a dispute a seemingly rooted more in issues of control then the welfare of sports car racing. All too often those in charge don’t just lose sight of the their ultimate goal; they close their eyes tightly so they don’t have to see it. Ecclestone and the Frances can never be accused of that. Instead they have profited from the immaturity of others. Now it is time for the rest to grow up. |
Bill Oursler |
